Sound-cushioning means



Feb. 3, 1931. F J EEEEEEEEE 1 1,791,232

eeeeeeeeeeee t l Feb. 3, 1931. F. J. BORKENSTEIN SOUND CUSHIONING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 19

govvg a INVENTORZ ATTORNEY Patented Feb.'3, 1931" PATENT OFFICE FRANK J. BCRKENBTEIN, OI FORT WAYNE, INDIANA souND-cusmon'me means Application filed January 6, 1930. Serial No. 418,686.

This invention relates to improvements in sound cushioning means adaptable to the ceilings or interior walls of. buildings, such as auditoriums and other rooms.

The object of the invention is to aflord an inexpensive means whereby echoes of sounds are obviated. A further object is the provision of an eflicient sound cushioning means that may be readily and economically applied to the ceiling or interior walls of a building.

These objects are accomplished by the structure shown in a preferred form in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary bottom plan of a base-plate embodying part of the invention;

Fig. 2- is a section of Fig. 1 on the line 2--2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is another section of Fig. 1 on the line 33 thereof and includes also the de flector member or sheathing for the baseplate;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a section of the sheathing upon an enlarged scale, 2 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the base-plate upon an enlarged scale; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the sheathin upon an enlarged scale.

The preferre 80 tion consists of a base-plate 1 formed of any suitable sound absorbing material, such for example, as fabric, pulp made from wood, straw or soft porous plastic material capable of being molded or otherwise made into the desired shape.

The base-plate is made in a convenient size for shipping and handling, a number of plates being appliedside byside so as to cover the ceiling or walls of a building. Each plate has a marginal flange 2 and a series of ribs 3-34 and 4. The ribs 3 and 3 extend at right angles to the'ribs 4 and 4 and lie in a common plane spaced from and parallel with that of the top of the flange 2, except that the ribs 3 and 4' have at their intersections and at each end, an enlargement or boss 5 that extends to the plane of the top of the flange 2. The ribs are spaced relative to each other so that embodiment of the invennumerous cavities 6 are formed in the plate seplarated from each other by said ribs.

he surface of the wall (not shown) to which the invention is applied is covered with a series of the plates 1,.the back of each plate being applied directly to the ceiling or wall, so that the front or ribbed face of the plate is exposed. The plates are secured in place by means of nails or in any other suitable manner.

The front faces of the installed base-plates are covered with a deflector member or sheathing 7 which is made up of thin material, such as paper, fibre, or of sheet metal. The sheathing is pressed or otherwise formed so as to have numerous ockets 8 formed therein that are separated from each other by corresponding cross ribs 9 that project oppositely from the general plane of the sheathing with respect to said pockets.

The walls of each pocket '8 are preferably formed with a series of offsets 10, each offset having contiguous portions 11 and 12 that extend in planes at right angles to each other and have corresponding apertures 13-14 made therein. The pockets are so spaced with respect to each other and to the ribs 3 and 4 of the plates 1 that when the sheathing is in place upon said plates the centers ofsaid pockets register with the corresponding in.- tersections of the ribs 3 and 4 where the sheathing is secured to said plates by means of nails 15. The sheathing also has contact with the edges of the flanges 2 and with the bosses 5 so that the sheathing is held spaced from the ribs 3-4 and 34' except where the pockets are nailed in place or, the sheathing is otherwise permanently attached to the plates. Thus, between the sheathing and the base-plates are provided chambers 16 that are connected with the respective cavities 6, and which chambers intercommunicate between the bosses 5, and have communication with the exterior of the completed structure through the a ertures 13-14. The ribs 9 are referably shaped and afford slanting sur aces whereby sound waves are deflected into the adjacent pockets from which they pass throu h the apertures 13 into the chambers 16 an cavities 6, and

posed faces of the ribs in the plates with more or less impact, the impacts being cushioned by the material of which the plates are made. Such reverberatory action of the sound wavesas may occur upon their first impact is directed from the point of impact to opposed surfaces of the plate that are spaced from such points of first impact with sub dued force and are there further or completely absorbed' In this manner the room in the building is substantially freed from those disturbances that ordinarily arise from the reverberation of sounds that follow their passage from their sources, and thus the acoustic properties of, the room are improved.

What I claim is 1, Sound cushioning means applicable to the ceiling and interior walls of a building, consisting of base-plates formed of sound absorbing material, each having a marginal flange and a series of intersecting cross-ribs on the front face thereof, which ribs extend in a plane parallel with and spaced back from that of the front of the corresponding flange, some of said ribs having bosses that extend to the front plane of the corresponding plate; and a sheathing of thin sheet material covering the front of said plates, and having apertured pockets spaced apart that project into the corresponding plates between ,the bosses thereon, and having also outwardly projecting cross ribs adapted to deflect sound-waves into said pockets respectively.

2. Sound cushioning means applicable to l the interior of a building, consisting of base plates composed of sound absorbin material, each plate having upon itsfront iace intersecting cross ribs and cavities therebetween, and having also projecting bosses; and a sound wave deflecting apertured cover applied to the front of said plates, having outwardly projecting cross ribs adapted to deflect sound waves through the apertures in said cover into said cavities.

3. Sound cushioning means applicable to the interior of a building, consisting of baseplates composed of sound absorbin material, each plate having upon its front face intersectingcross ribs and cavities therebetween; and a sound wave deflecting apertured cover applied to the front of said plates, said cover having inwardly extending pockets attached to said ribs at the intersections thereof to provide intercommunicating chambers behaving also outwardly projecting deflecting ribs adapted to divert sound waves into sai pockets.

4. Sound cushioning means applicable to the interior of a building, consisting of sound absorbing plates, each having upon its front face projecting ribs arranged at right angles to each other and cavities therebetween; and an apertured cover applied to the front of said plates, said cover having inwardly extending pockets attached to the corresponding plates to provide chambers between the cover and the plates, said cover having outwardly projecting ribs adapted to divert sound waves into said pockets.

tween the cover and the plates, said cover 5 5. Sound cushioning means a plicable to the interior of a building, consistlng of sound absorbing plates, each having spaced ribs projecting from its front face and a marginal flange that projectsto a plane beyond that of said ribs; and an apertured cover applied to the front of said plates so that portions of the cover are spaced from said ribs to provide chambers between the cover and the plates.

6. Sound cushioning meansapplicable to the interior of a building, consisting of sound absorbing plates, each having spaced ribs projecting from its front face; and a cover having upturned pockets formed therein applied to the front of said plates so that portions of said pockets are spaced from said ribs to provide chambers between the cover and the plates.

7. A sound cushioning plate applicable to the interior of a building, said plate being made of sound absorbing material and having ribs projecting from its front face, there being cavities between said ribs, and having bosses that project to a plane beyond that of said ribs.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK J. BORKENSTEIN. 

